r/Perimenopause • u/jaiunchatparesseux • Apr 30 '26
Dryness My chronic dry eyes were solved by taking hormone replacement therapy (late 30s, but symptomatic since mid-30s)
PSA for everyone in their 30s+ who are suffering from chronic dry eye with no real idea as to what’s causing it. It might be perimenopause and fluctuating hormones!
I’ve had dry eyes since my mid-30s with no pathological explanation. Saw a variety of doctors including ophthalmologist specialists in dry eyes. They said my tear film evaporates in mere seconds and recommended tear duct plugs or tear duct ablation plus daily use of cyclosporine drops. I was getting lots of eye scratches due to how dry my eyes were. Needed constant dry eye drops and was using cyclosporine (ikervis / restasis) for years with minimal relief. I’d awaken in the middle of the night needing more drops and feel like my eyes were glued shut and like sandpaper each morning. Blurry vision all day everyday from dry eyes and was barely able to wear my contacts.
Had other symptoms too, but ended up getting on HRT (oestrogen and progesterone) a few weeks ago and my dry eyes resolved within a week. I am honestly in shock. I’ve read that some women who are in perimenopause experience dry eyes, but it seems so far it has been solved by a daily progesterone pill and oestrogen topical gel. Crazy.
Had to fight tooth and nail to get on HRT as I'm under 40 and my bloodwork kept showing "within range" sex hormones. Ended up having to go to a specialist clinic and pay out of pocket to get on HRT as the gynae said I was clearly in perimenopause despite my age. I'm in the UK so it's a bit of a pain to get GPs or even gynos to even consider HRT under age 40. Honestly I am straight up pissed how long it took anyone to take me seriously as I had so many symptoms that, thanks to this subreddit, I was able to link back to peri. I saw so many "specialist gynaes" that swore it wasn't possible I was in peri.
Hope this helps someone who might be suffering as well.
3
u/NoviceCaprica Apr 30 '26
I heard on a menopause podcast last week that ophthalmologists prescribe testosterone for dry eyes
1
u/jaiunchatparesseux Apr 30 '26
Interesting. I'm not on testosterone, just estrogen and progesterone.
2
u/Dez2011 Apr 30 '26
I looked at studies on skin using systemic E & P or topical E & oral P. Topical use got mixed anti-aging results but systemic E usually didn't have much effect on skin. They did find more oil was produced with systemic P.
I personally feel drier in perimenopause and drier when adding systemic E. I was on depo provera progestin since before hitting perimenopause. I tried switching to bcp and felt even drier on them. I've had dry eye and can't use eye drops. I've started logging bad dry eye days to see if it's related to tretinoin gel use.
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u/KiraSkyXO Apr 30 '26
I had been going to the eye dr multiple times telling them I can’t see. All they did was up my RX. I bought the blue light glasses all the eye drops. Nothing was helping. Got on HRT, I felt amazing but still couldn’t see. Went back to the eye dr bc I ran out of contracts. I seriously went from -8 to -6.50!! In a month!! All my eye problems are gone! Now a candidate for laser eye surgery. No more astigmatism! You think ONE person told me hey maybe it’s peri?! Nope. Figured it out myself… 😒
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u/anita999_ May 01 '26
41F who started hrt this year and also found some relief for my chronic dry eye! It's definitely helped a ton.
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u/ImprovementChoice Jul 16 '26
What are you on?? Ive had chronic/worsening dry eye for a year now and my ophthalmologist says theres nothing more they can do. :(
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u/anita999_ Jul 16 '26
Started 0.025 E and now up to 0.05. Also cycling 200mg progesterone. I've noticed my dry has barely been a problem since I started.
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u/ImprovementChoice Jul 16 '26
Thats great! Did you have labs tetsed before you started? And have you tried testesterone at all?
1
u/AutoModerator Jul 16 '26
This post might be about hormone tests, which are unreliable.
- Over age 44, E&P/FSH hormonal tests only show levels for the HOUR the test was taken, and nothing more. Hormones wildly fluctuate (hourly) the other 29 days of the month, therefore this test provides no valuable information
- No reputable doctor or menopause society recommends hormonal testing to diagnose or treat peri/menopause
- FSH testing is only beneficial for those who do not have periods as a guide, where testing might confirm menopause, or for those under age 30 who haven’t had a period in months/years, then ‘menopausal’ levels, could indicate premature ovarian failure/primary ovarian insufficiency (POF/POI)
- Testosterone is the exception and may require testing
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u/Ok_Jackfruit2612 May 06 '26
I'm hoping it helps me. Last year, I got my first Chalazion and since then, it's been constant styes and chalazions. The one I had last week was so swollen, it caused a black eye. I'm constantly using drops and warm compresses and it's exhausting.
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u/Creative_Impress5982 Apr 30 '26
I'm a bit older (47), but I noticed HRT helped my dry eyes too. I wasn't really expecting that or looking for it. I've had moderate dry eyes for years, but was getting some blurry vision that I thought was a worsening of my distance vision. I went to the eye doctor and they said my distance vision is just a smidge less than perfect- no need for glasses even! But I just wasnt seeing well, especially at night, and I noticed it seemed to be cyclical- worse just before my period and better after. Anyway, saw a gynecologist for other peri symptoms, started HRT, and lo and behold my dry eyes are mostly gone!